FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To the Village Square
From Montague to Fukushima 1975-2014
by Lionel Delevingne
with introduction by Anna Gyorgy
Renowned French photographer and journalist releases iconic collection of images and accounts charting four decades of the anti-nuclear movement, honoring the unique power of grass roots democracy in the US.
“To the village square, we must carry the facts of atomic energy. From there must come America’s voice.”
Albert Einstein 1946
In Paris, May 1968, French photojournalist Lionel Delevingne witnessed firsthand student riots and labor strikes which spread like wildfire across the city, threatening to shut down the government. Three years later, Delevingne traveled to Washington, D.C. and once again saw the force of public demonstration with May Day, the largest protest against the Vietnam War. In contrast to the Paris events, the anti-war demonstrations were largely nonviolent. This realization moved Delevingne to explore the power of a vocal, passionate but peaceful crowd who could take a stand and draw widespread support to their cause.
After Delevingne settled in Montague, Massachusetts, he gained further respect for justified acts of civil disobedience as the town was threatened by a $3.4 billion Nuclear Power Plant project in 1973. The plans were subsequently cancelled, after a local organic farmer toppled a utility tower on the proposed site, galvanizing public opinion against nuclear power. Ever since, Delevingne has been capturing unforgettable scenes of public protest against the nuclear energy industry all over the world. With To the Village Square: From Montague to Fukushima 1975-2014, Delevingne documents almost forty years of protests, showcasing portraits of dedicated demonstrators and inspiring visionaries. Through his photographs of Chernobyl and Fukushima, he reveals the tragic personal stories of nuclear victims. To the Village Square: From Montague to Fukushima 1975-2014 bridges the visions of the few to the consequences for the many. This history—and present danger—make a nuclear as well as a fossil fuel-free future an imperative in an era of climate disruption.
To the Village Square: From Montague to Fukushima 1975-201 4 is a book about power: not only nuclear power, but the power that individuals and communities can wield by taking charge and forcing change. In paying homage to democracy in action through this vivid and humbling collection of images and accounts, Delevingne hopes to inspire future generations to recognize their own potency, to demand sustainable and safer sources of energy and to honor the important legacy of a successful movement responsible for halting the proliferation of nuclear power construction for 30 years.
About the author: Lionel Delevingne has been working as a photojournalist for over forty years. His coverage of socio-political and cultural movements has been published in The New York Times, Mother Jones, Newsweek, the Village Voice, The Washington Post and Vanity Fair, among others in the US and abroad. His work has been exhibited in solo shows across the United States and Europe, and his work is collected by numerous private and public institutions, including the Bibliothèque Nationale of France and the University of Massachusetts. Delevingne is co-author of “Drylands, A Rural American Saga.” (Nebraska University Press, 2012); Northampton: Reflections on Paradise. (Nouveau Monde Press, 1988); and, Franco-American Viewpoints (Nouveau Monde Press/Wistariahurst Museum, Holyoke, MA 1988). Anna Gyorgy is the author of No Nukes: Everyone’s Guide to Nuclear Power.
To the Village Square: From Montague to Fukushima 1975-2014 by Lionel Delevingne (published by Prospecta Press, RRP $34.95 US/$36.95 CN hardcover is available online directly from the author http://www.tothevillagesquare.net/purchase/ or at retailers including amazon.com and can be ordered from Barnes and Noble and all other good bookstores. For more information, please visit www.tothevillagesquare.net
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